All posts by Paul Edwards

We are again pleased to have helped Rotork Controls Ltd confirm the corrosion and durability category of one of their standard paint systems used to protect offshore steel and iron-based substrates. Rotork specialises in flow control solutions for actuators, gearboxes, instruments, and control systems that open, close, and precisely regulate industrial valves. They are a major global supplier across oil & gas, water & power, and chemical/process industries and AWL are proud to have supported Rotork’s UK Bath and Leeds based plants for their corrosion (ISO 12944) and UV weathering testing (BS EN ISO 16474) requirements.

We are pleased to be helping Alex Hull Studio Ltd confirm UV stability for a number of new coating formulations. Alex Hull Studio Limited is a London-based private limited company specialising in bespoke furniture design, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. We are proud to have supported Alex Hull Studio over the past few years for a number of projects designed to confirm protective coating integrity using our range UV weathering and climatic test chambers.

We are pleased to be helping a number of 1st tier suppliers to JLR confirm the integrity of E-coated parts using a wide range of performance tests which include resistance to humidity, adhesion, UV damage, fluid / fuel staining and cyclic corrosion testing using a sway bar for downward salt spray application with test chamber cooling down to -40C.

We are pleased to be helping a number of UK and US companies confirm UVA durability of their Haylage bags, bonnets and PVC straps according to BS EN ISO 4892-3 and ASTM G154 for exposure periods up to 5000 hours. Haylage bags for round bales are durable, UV-resistant plastic sleeves designed to protect high-moisture hay or silage, available in various sizes and often reusable.

Haylage bags are typically made from heavy-duty plastic sheet or films of various thicknesses. The thicker sheets help resist ultraviolet rays, maintain mechanical strength and reduce heat build-up during storage. Some bags are specifically formulated for high moisture haylage, while others can serve as end caps for silage bales.

We are pleased to be helping Wood Floors & Accessories Ltd establish relative abrasive wear data for various finishes. WPA are a knowledgeable and technical team of wood floor specification specialists offering guidance to architects, interior designers, contractors and developers across multiple commercial and residential sectors.

We are pleased to be helping Syensqo R&D with VW corrosion conditioning according to PV1210 for automotive paint performance testing. AWL has enjoyed a long collaboration with Syensqo (formally part of the Solvay Group) for coating and adhesive corrosion resistance conditioning to establish and verify best formulations for corrosion and adhesion performance. Other test methods provided for Syensqo have included ASTM G85 Annex 3 (SWAAT) and Annex 1 (AASS).

Syensqo produces a range of materials and specialty chemicals used in industrial, consumer, and energy-related applications.

We are pleased to offer two methods for determining the ability of paint, or other organic coatings, applied to metallic substrates to withstand cathodic disbonding when the surface coating may contain or develop discontinuities.

The methods are applicable to coatings that are exposed to sea water, such as those applied to ships or marine structures that require ISO 12944-9 qualification to CX categories and beyond.

Method A involves the use of a cathodic protection circuit, whereby the electrode potential of the test substrates is controlled potentiostatically.

Method B involves the use of sacrificial anodes attached to the test substrates. This reflects the practical method of cathodic protection commonly used on ships.

As we celebrate our 21st year of accelerated weathering and environmental testing for a broad range clients we strive to remain the most cost effective UKAS accredited materials testing laboratory in Europe offering a full suite of protocols for UV weathering, Taber abrasion, number plate, corrosion and environmental testing and I would like to thank all of our clients, both new and old for their continued support. Director Paul Edwards.

To make a valid assessment for GC for bolts, nuts, washers and screws against the sounding material, they should be tightened to the correct torque for the application. GC requires hard interference contact between the bolt/screw threads (inc boltheads and washers) and the surrounding hole threads. Loose bolts will allow moisture into the threaded holes that would otherwise be sealed when torqued down. When exposed / un-sealed hole threads are subjected to corrosion testing the corrosion failure mechanism is usually associated with low paint coverage down in the threads, not GC if the bolts are loose. Potential for GC is best measured by ensuring firm electrical contact (torqued down) in the presence of moisture to act as an electrolyte. GC will show local blistering and/or rusting around the bolt/nut arrangement and can sometimes show ‘jelly-like’ corrosion deposits rather like those seen in a dry-battery cell that has burst and leaked.

AWL Ltd are pleased to be helping various UK companies with paint plants moving toward emission compliant all-electric curing ovens to replace outdated gas fired ovens. When a major change in a painting or coating process occurs (such as modified oven curing), previously validated paint systems must be re-validated for corrosion protection and other properties such as adhesion, hardness and wear resistance. Some of the UKAS accredited test methods available at AWL required for re-validation of paint systems include ISO 9227, ASTM B117, ASTM G85, ISO 12944 for corrosion performance and ISO 7784-2 or ASTM D4060 rotary Taber abrasion testing.